Guidance
by Cheria
Summary: While overseeing an operation to free the war prisoners, Zuko's gaze falls upon a familiar yet unrecognizable face -- the face of a man whose brother he'd saved in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko plans to meet him as an Earth Kingdom escort under another name.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own neither _Avatar_ nor any of its contents.

* * *

He looked familiar. And Zuko was not one to forget faces. There was a certain glint in the man's eyes, combined with the way he carried himself that was strangely nostalgic. He only felt it was appropriate to know the stranger's name. Alas, he did not, nor did he have any guesses as to what it was. When he failed to pinpoint the source of familiarity, he resolved to find out through other means.

Turning to a stationary guard, he motioned to the growing group of men huddled in the center of the prison yard. "These are the Earth Kingdom war captives," he stated, receiving an affirmative nod in response.

"Yes, Your Highness. They are to be moved to Ba Sing Se, where they will be relocated accordingly to their respective lands."

He paused. "When?"

"In a week, Your Majesty."

After dismissing the soldier, Zuko turned his attention back to the man who'd caught his attention. He identified him with ease at the front row of the assembled men, his posture stiff yet impossibly casual. (The captives were wearing the prison garb, and spotting one individual would have normally proven difficult.) He was a typical Earth Kingdom citizen - shaggy dark brown hair, droopy eyes, and relatively tan skin. But there was something else the Fire Lord could not place that nagged at his conscience, urging him to remember something he had no memory of. It was highly irritating and he planned to be rid of the feeling, soon.

He watched the Warden approach the men from the other side of the plaza, a faint look of disdain evident in his features. Mei's uncle was obviously against the pardon of any "criminals" that were sent to the Boiling Rock, even if these men had been brought for the purpose of regrouping the war captives collected over the years. He looked unusually restrained, however; it was likely due to the fact that the Fire Lord himself was overlooking the release of the prisoners.

"Prisoners - former prisoners," the Warden corrected himself. "As you have been informed, you are all to be released within the next week. You will be escorted to your capitol, Ba Sing Se, where each of you will then be relocated.

Your belongings will be on the ship, your main method of transportation. There will be an attendant for every five of you - whom the groups will consist of is up to your discretion. You have a few minutes to choose who you will be staying with for the duration of the movement." With that said, the Warden took a step back and returned to the corner he'd been favoring. It was clear he wanted everything to be over with and had chosen to deal with the circumstances until then.

Zuko watched on. The young man made several eye contacts, followed by either a nod or a shake of his head. He said little, only confirming who his main traveling partners would be with a simple "yeah" or "all right" occasionally. He was rather loud.

Before the Warden returned to give the last of his instructions (and pointedly ignoring the man for past complications), Zuko curtly left the prison he'd once inhabited himself. As he trudged down the walkway to the gondola, memories of his escapade with Sokka flashed by. They continued to come to him as he entered the gondola, ignoring the rough shake of the carrier before it abruptly started moving up. It had seemed so long ago since he'd left to join Aang as his firebending instructor. So long ago since he had been nothing more than a traitorous prince. So long ago since he had left with people he could now consider to be friends.

He could hear the Warden's booming voice trailing off as the gondola neared shore.

_" . . . your escorts will be on board and ready to fill all of you in . . . "_

That Earth Kingdom prisoner hadn't noticed him stealing glances. Zuko planned to change that. What he felt was no ordinary nostalgia and he planned to look into it.

* * *

"Please, Mai," he pleaded. "I need you to look over the nation for a little while."

His lover merely shrugged, eying him from the edge of the couch. "You've left me with your responsibilities before. This time wouldn't be any different."

She had a point. He had indeed gone on several trips ever since his crowning, more often than not leaving Mai to tend to his duties until he returned. She had been very cooperative and reliable, and it only made him feel more guilty for having her do a good portion of his work again. Still, it was essential that he make the trip he had in mind, and she was the always ready fill-in. She scarcely complained unless an important meeting or event would be taking place during his absence. But, of course, she did have her share of brutal comments on the work she preferred to not do.

"So are you willing to?"

"Why not? I'm not fond of the work that comes with it, but it'll give me something to do." Though she turned away with those words, she could sense his relief and gratitude. She smiled. "Just don't keep me hanging for over a month."

"I won't," he said. Moving closer to the girl across him, he sat as she draped her arms around his shoulders, folding around his neck in an embrace. "Thanks, Mai."

Before he could leave the chamber, she stopped him. "What exactly are you planning on doing that requires you to leave indefinitely?" Her tone was of genuine curiosity, and he saw no harm in telling her. Nevertheless, he decided to keep the major points out of his answer for the sake of leaving things generalized.

"I'm going to be visiting the Earth Kingdom. It won't be for long." Upon further contemplation, he quickly added: "No one should know." At least, a majority of the people in the nation should not be informed. A short trip required no attention.

Mai knew better than to question him any further. In the years she'd gotten to know him, she had learn that he was the type that was impossible to crack for more information than he deemed necessary. He was, in a way, strikingly secretive when he wanted to be. For now she would let him go and do as he pleased, and she'd tend to his daily duties. It was nothing she was unfamiliar with, after all - her father had been a governor, her uncle the Boiling Rock's warden. She was well-versed in politics and this was simply additional management on her part. Nor Zuko was the sort to shirk his work: He would manage his borrowed time wisely.

"Whatever you say." And it was then he was allowed to take leave to prepare for his departure.

* * *

He was back in his typical Earth Kingdom attire. The mix of brown and green had always complemented each other surprisingly well when he put them on. Pulling the top article of clothing over his shoulders and securing it, he tucked the pearl-handed dagger within the folds of the layer of clothing beneath. With the way he'd placed it, pressed against his chest, it would stay in place without any chances of it falling out. That was all he brought with him, coupled with the clothes on his back. He chose to leave everything else behind to have little burdening him and to avoid arousing suspicion.

Leaving the place was no feat. Sticking close to the walls and keeping still whenever a servant passed by, Zuko was able to slip out of the palace without so much as breaking a sweat. It was as though the people there lacked peripheral vision. Once he was out in the open, he used the shades formed by the surrounding walls to keep under cover. An Earth Kingdom citizen would be too easy to pick out in a crowd of Fire Nation civilians. Blending in was useless in this part of the capitol.

The trip to the harbor was a relatively short one. It had purposely been built neither too far nor close to the palace for convenience and security. Surely enough, the ship that would be used to pick up the war prisoners from their temporary stay in the Boiling Rock was docked at the front. There were guards on watch, only allowing those with identification to walk up the ramp. As he predicted, the authorized figures were the escorts - and luckily, there was a mix of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation natives. The former were most likely volunteers from their kingdom.

With the knowledge that the soldiers would immediately recognize him the moment they laid eyes on his scar, Zuko advanced. While passing an Earth Kingdom escort fumbling with his pack, a portly man by all means, he plucked a green pass from his side. The man failed to notice. And another stroke of luck: The cards were solely passes. There was neither a written name nor a portrait to identify the holder by.

The security was shameful, he noted with a grimace.

Picking up a casual pace he approached the ramp and the guards with his gaze to the floor. The guards were aligned on the right side of the pathway, effectively blocking out the view of his left side. Keeping his head down would further shade it, courtesy of his hair.

"Pass," the guard grunted. Zuko held up the card he'd taken from the man who now came trudging behind him, seemingly oblivious of having been robbed.

As he was allowed entrance without so much as a second glance, his victim finally noticed the lack of a pass and began to provide absurd excuses. In a span of six seconds, he was moved away by the other guards. The Fire Lord only continued on into the ship, ignoring the commotion. He would make it up later, if at all possible.

Once he was on the ship's deck (the ship was designed much like the ferry he had ridden as a refugee months back, overall), he immediately blended in. He didn't even have to try. There was a handful of escorts scattered across the deck, chatting away or favoring a spot to spend the time in solitude. Zuko was one such individual and stuck to a corner beneath a shade. Even if anyone did see his scar, no one would suspect him of being the Fire Lord. Not many had recognized him of being a prince back in the days, at any rate, and the rumors of his general banishment had been far more popular than those concerning his physical features.

"Ya excited?" said a voice, jolting the firebender from his train of thought as he glanced up at a middle-aged man, presumably from the Earth Kingdom. "We're gonna be bringing our men home."

He merely sat there with his arms crossed, his response flat. "So we are."

"That Warden said whichever group we greet first will be ours to guide. Have any types you plan on seeking out?" When the escort received no reply, he let out a laugh. "'course, you don't have ta tell if you don't want to." Another game of silent treatment and the man was on his merry way, leaving Zuko to plan out his next move - to ensure that he would lead the group he desired.

The image of a young Earth Kingdom man flashed through his mind. He clenched his fists. He _had_ to know.

A shout sounded through the deck and the ship jerked, signaling its departure. Zuko kept his gaze glued to the deck, not looking up once to watch the palace grow smaller as the ship navigated for the Boiling Rock. There was a twist in his stomach, and the seeds of anxiety were growing within. He'd have to get this matter settled before it made him commit repulsive acts he would regret later. He was prone to being impulsive when his emotions would start getting the better of him. And they always did.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own neither _Avatar_ nor any of its contents.

* * *

He was fortunate. No one approached him during the voyage to the Boiling Rock, and he preferred it that way. He wasn't particularly fond of small talk when it held no significance, with a few exceptions, but this was not one of them. Instead he took to meditating, evening out his breaths and attempting to stray his thoughts from the Earth Kingdom war prisoner. Sadly, most attempts were futile and he constantly wondered back to pondering. Pondering over who this person was to have triggered such an odd feeling in him - this awkward feeling that had prompted him to leave a nation behind for a good week or so for the sole purpose of quashing his curiosity.

On second thought, Zuko questioned his motives. He'd been careful to not act on impulse, but, in hindsight, he already had. Leaving Mai to do his job so that he might be rid of this feeling, he was truly spoiling himself with the power in his hands. But he was set on going through this and fetching answers, and that required him to approach the war prisoner in an acceptable manner. Surely the man would gain wrong first impressions if he were to approach him as the Fire Lord. The disguise was absolutely necessary for the meeting to be effective.

He almost felt like Jet. (Had he really died? He did not fully trust the play - _satire_, the whole story.)

There was another jerk from the ship and he quickly placed a hand on the ground. Once he regained his balance Zuko stood, the rocky walls of the Boiling Rock meeting his gaze. There was a large group of men assembled in front of the docking area: The released war prisoners, no doubt.

The ship slowly approached the dock, and the guards threw down a wooden plank for their esteemed "guests" to walk up. There was a ripple of murmurs and shows of hesitation before one group of five Earth Kingdom men - formerly soldiers, whether of their own volition or not - stepped forward and up the ramp to the deck. Numerous escorts flocked to them instantly (they were very enthusiastic about their job), a handful already having made their minds in choosing to guide those men. Zuko kept his eyes forward, searching for the man whose appearance alone clawed at his subconsciousness. The prisoners had had their original attires returned, and it suddenly turned out harder to find one person of the majority.

There.

There he was, centered with three other men - two of whom looked to be around his age, the other a full grown man - and, strangely enough, a _woman_. He hadn't seen a woman when he first visited a week earlier. When she'd entered the picture he did not know, nor did he particularly give a care. Still it was question to consider: Women were rarely part of any army that didn't belong to the Fire Nation, let alone allowed to be. They were expected to stay and fulfill their duty as housewives, rather than participate in the gruesome war for years to follow. And this was a female Earth Kingdom war prisoner. It was mind boggling.

Nevertheless, none of them gave off the same vibe as the first. There were like the other prisoners. Their presence didn't faze him in the manner that one prisoner's did. So he ignored them, instead focusing on the original target as he watched him lead the four up the ramp. Zuko neared the pathway as they ventured up, though he came to realize that, in the midst of his confusion upon seeing a woman, he'd moved too slowly to be able to reach them in time. From where he stood, at least three other escorts would get to the five before he did.

Fate seemed to enjoy playing with him. And it wanted him to suffer from frustration for the rest of the day.

Stifling a sigh, he resigned to his misfortune as he watched an Earth Kingdom guide, the same man that had talked to him with a slang earlier, nab the familiar face and his companions. He was the supposedly mighty Fire Lord - and he'd failed to do something so simple. For the rest of the short afternoon he lingered by the ramp, idly waiting for all the split prisoners to come up and crowd the deck until the last group surfaced, and Zuko, being the only remaining escort, was automatically obligated to take care of them.

"This way," he half-mumbled, gesturing to a spot on the deck that was wide enough for the five former prisoners to sit around. They followed suit as he walked in front of them, turning and moving to the side to let them spread out however they wished onto the floor.

"Say," a middle-aged man started, "you're from the Earth Kingdom, aren't you?"

Zuko nodded stiffly. He refused to look the man in the eye.

"What's your name?"

Before he could voice an answer, the Warden's own overrode anything that started coming out of the Fire Lord's mouth, effectively cutting him off. They were setting sail. Zuko merely shrugged at the convenient timing and changed the subject, avoiding the question of identity. "Is there anything each of you'd like before we reach Earth Kingdom territory?" It was like serving tea all over again.

After the five men requested what they wanted he was off. Entering the room that served as the kitchen, he found that the area was rather crowded. Briefly he wondered if the Warden had even bothered to properly feed his temporary guests, or if he had skipped out on some meals and drinks out of spite. He'd find out. In the meanwhile, Zuko navigated through the tiny kitchen, spotting a free cook and reporting to him what the five men had asked for. The cook was quick to oblige, whipping up the food and getting the drinks in a fairly short amount of time. As he turned to give everything on a tray to Zuko, though, he paused when he saw the boy's face. As he continued to stayed that way, Zuko raised an inquisitive brow, only to receive a shake of a head and the tray.

On his way out he spotted the all too familiar war prisoner he'd been obsessively tracking from the corner of his left eye. All he wanted was a name and an answer.

He loitered, taking the opportunity to steal a glance before turning back.

When he returned he was thanked for the little ration he brought, the five Earth Kingdom prisoners gingerly taking what they'd requested. Zuko watched as they ate carefully, almost warily, as if they would lose what they had if they were to relax marginally. Despite their attempts at being lax their shoulders were tense, betraying their paranoia. He could only continue to stare as they finished the food and drinks, again thanking him as they piled the dishes and cups back onto the tray. Before he could return the objects to the kitchen, however, he was stopped by the same man that had asked for his name.

"If you don't want to share your name, that's fine, son."

He must have visibly tensed, for an awkward silence followed. Then he caved.

"Lee," he said, feeling the pairs of eyes glaring holes into his back.

"Hm?"

"That's my name."

"Another Lee," another man in the group piped up. "Half the world's population is named 'Lee.'"

He was right. And that was precisely why Zuko had chosen to take up the name again. A unique name would have served in making him stand out more - choosing something common. He'd come across a handful of Lee's in the past few years: Ty Lee, that boy from an Earth Kingdom village, himself. The list went on. It ensured his cover up, and he knew hiding his true identity would be easier in the long run this way.

A chuckle escaped from another prisoner's lips, "Don't pick on the boy."

Zuko shrugged. "He's right. There's . . . many of us."

If any of them picked up on his hesitation, they did not say.

* * *

"Looks like you have an admirer," the woman proclaimed in a sing song voice.

The boy she'd addressed looked up. "Who?"

She pointed to the retreating form of a youth dressed in Earth Kingdom garbs with a tray. "That one." Their escort followed her finger, immediately recognizing the boy as he walked through the kitchen door.

"Ah, he's got ta be the youngest escort on board. Talked ta him earlier - mighty solitary, that one," he remarked.

The fact that he seemed to know the watcher caught the woman's attention and she turned to him, putting on a small smile. She was curious, and he supposedly had some answers, no matter how vague they might be. Some answers were better than none, after all. She could piece the parts together later when she gathered more. "Really."

"That's right. Wouldn't talk ta the others and just sat there by his lonesome self."

"Perhaps he's looking for a friend in Sensu," she mused. A skeptical glare was sent her way as he leaned back against the side of the ship, blowing a loose strand of hair away from his face.

"You're really convincing." He looked up at the sky, watching the murky clouds that slowly passed by. "He could have been looking at you. You're the only woman on this ship."

"He wouldn't have been looking at the back of your head if that were the case. Your haircut must have been awfully intriguing."

"You lie."

"I never lie."

The middle-aged man spoke up then, a sigh escaping his lips. "Enough, you two."

They exchanged glances at each other before nodding obediently. She took a sip from her cup of tea, tapping her index finger against it as her eyes darted back to the back beside her. Sensu was far too easy to bait and tease, she'd learned over the months. And she always made sure to let him know she knew. He was looking right back at her, challenging her to start up a playful quarrel again, a flicker in his eyes that informed her he would be ready any time. Yet, she mused, he never seemed to win any of their so-called arguments.

"Did you want some tea?"

He waved a hand. "No, Yi-Min. You know I don't like tea."

"You told me you didn't like ginseng tea when it was offered to you. This is jasmine." She gestured to the tea in her hands to emphasize the point. "Not a very good brand, I admit, but jasmine nevertheless."

Sensu had the sudden urge to snort then. But it was against his better judgment and he decided not to. She was constantly poking at his nerves for her amusement, and he more often than not retaliated. Yi-Min had a way with words, however, and he constantly got lost within them. Now she was attempting to confuse him with the use of tea. It was true he didn't like tea; he preferred plain water over any special drinks. Tea was, in a way, too strong in their own right for him to handle.

Either way: Tea was tea. "Same difference."

"They're very different."

He had nothing to say to that. Rather, he decided that he would let the older woman's opinion of tea be left unexplored as he resumed their previous topic. " . . . I'm certain he must have been looking at you."

"This again?" Yi-Min cracked another smile. "You're too modest." With that said, she turned back to her tea, ignoring the protests that followed after her claim.

When the two fell silent their escort stood, clasping his hands together. He was certainly enthusiastic in a sort of way only he could shine. Offering a lopsided smile that felt contagious, he looked at each and every one of his "guests." "How 'bout a game? The ship has a few stocked up in the lower deck for the soldiers ta make use of; they'd be generous enough ta lend us a board."

"A game of Pai Sho would be great," Yi-Min suggested. "What say you, Bae?"

The middle-aged man that had stopped her earlier play with Sensu nodded. On the other hand, Sensu sighed and resumed to studying the sky.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own neither _Avatar_ nor any of its contents.

* * *

Wiping his hands on his apron, the cook that had given him strange looks earlier approached Zuko's group. He wordlessly motioned for Zuko to follow. In order to avoid arousing suspicion, the Fire Lord followed suit, going below deck to see none other than the Warden himself. His back was turned to the two, though upon hearing footsteps he turned and immediately stepped toward the teenager, but not before forcing a bow out of respect. The cook was dismissed.

"Fire Lord Zuko," he started. "Might I inquire as to what you are doing here, in disguise of all the ways possible?"

The cook had suspected him.

"Overseeing the operation," said Zuko, flatly.

"But why _in disguise_, Your Highness?" the Warden protested.

"To ensure that everything would go smoothly, even without my presence." It was a half-job explanation, but it would serve its purpose for the moment. After all, that was what he was also doing all the while tracking that Earth Kingdom citizen. Leaving his nation to seek out the identity of one man would not have done anything for anyone - no matter how much he had thought otherwise when he'd first departed, temporarily leaving Mai and everything else.

"I humbly hope that your concerns were put to rest," the man replied. "But you must understand that this ship isn't the . . . safest place for now."

The ship was almost like a ferry. Zuko saw little potential danger from neither the former prisoners nor the people tending to the ship. Unless the Warden was speaking of something he had not been informed of.

He wanted - _needed_ - an explanation. "Why?"

The Warden seemed to catch on to the Fire Lord's suspicion and his shoulders slumped, admitting his defeat and that he would have to spill the truth. The man was stalling, however, as he crossed his arms and strolled around the dark room beneath the deck. His moment of thinking lasted for another few seconds before he turned back to the boy, gesturing to the ceiling above them.

"You see, we've received threats just the week earlier," he started. "Threats to be rid of our _guests_. We believe that they were sent by those who do not agree with the end of the war. Rebels who long for the war to start again."

"And they plan to start with the released prisoners," finished Zuko, receiving a nod from the Warden. "Is anything being done to prevent these possible assaults?" Another nod came his way.

"We have men watching for suspicious figures." He paused to let the information sink in before he continued: "And this is why we wish to send you back to the palace, Your Highness, if you've finished your . . . investigation."

Zuko dismissed the glint in the Warden's eyes, thus ignoring the man's suspicion, and shook his head. "I'm not done."

"It could become dangerous any minute now."

"That doesn't matter. I'll leave when I see fit." _And if the rebels do attack, I can find out exactly what is going on. No one bothered to tell me about this before_, he added inwardly.

The Warden made another unnecessary thoughtful gesture. Then he let out a sigh, momentarily seeming to forget that it was the Fire Lord standing before him. (Not that the man cared. Zuko knew Mai's uncle still held a lingering grudge against him for breaking his record of no escapes in the Boiling Rock.) Finally the man gave in, circling the teenager until he came face to face with his guest.

"Very well, Your Majesty," he gritted, "If that is what you wish, then please feel free to return to your - position."

Zuko turned without a word then. He promptly left the room below the deck, surfacing to the top and breathing in fresh air. The room had been dimly lit and stifling to a certain extent, and he'd longed for the wind. Before the Warden could change his mind and call him back down for any reason he returned to the group he'd originally been "assigned" to. They warmly welcomed him back, unaware of his true identity or what had just transpired right below them. Oblivious to the impending danger that was almost sure to come.

"Wonder what the cook wanted with you." One of them muttered curiously, receiving a playful punch in response from another man for his nosiness.

The second man dodged a blow as he chided the inquisitor. "That's certainly not for you to know."

Ignoring the two he sat beside their circle, keeping some distance between them so as to not be too close. The voices were drowned out, the Warden's words instead flooding into his thoughts as Zuko reviewed the situation.

He'd expected a certain amount of the populace to act up in protest of the war's end - the nobles and landowners who had been flourishing during it, among others - but not in this way. If they'd complaints they would have approached the Fire Lord through political or ill-mannered means. He'd expected assassins, even. He hadn't thought about the outsiders of their nation being open to attacks. They'd no reason to, unless they were looking to start a strike.

Evidently he had not thought it through all the way. And the fact that he had not caught onto the actual movement until much later irked him. _How long has this been going on for? Was the notice from a week the first threat?_

Shaking his head, he noticed the first curious man looking at him. He glared back and received a chuckle in response.

"Not going to ask if you don't want me to, Lee." At least the man respected privacy when it was due. Nonetheless Zuko made a move to get up and stand by the rail when he was stopped by the former prisoner. "If it's not too much trouble, how about a cup of water?" Resisting the urge to simply walk away, he nodded.

"If you'll excuse me for a moment . . . "

There was no need to address the cook this time. Fetching a cup of water for the man, Zuko slid open the door out. Before he could leave the kitchen, however, he found himself face to face with the sole woman on the ship: the one who'd distracted him, he thought. The woman was slightly taller than him and relatively tan, garbed in average Earth Kingdom clothing made of green fabric outlined in white with perhaps too many layers to count. (She was certainly modest on the outside, for loose strands of her dark brown hair even covered the curves of her face.)

Her jade eyes stared into his gold pair. She then closed her own, successfully cutting off eye contact as she gave a small smile and moved to the side. "Pardon me."

He blinked, slightly taken back by the woman's apologetic nature. Without a word he moved forward stiffly, but not without catching another glimpse at her eyes when she reopened them. Her gaze had bore a distinct firmness that betrayed her behavior. And while that alone was off, there was something about the woman that had rubbed him the wrong way.

Zuko stood rooted to the deck, watching the woman slink away into the kitchen as he eyed her suspiciously. When she was out of sight and the door slid closed, he turned away abruptly.

* * *

"See?" Sensu breathed, gesturing wildly to the retreating figure once more. "Told you he was looking at her instead of me."

"I'm more inclined to believe that I was the one doing the looking."

He straightened, casual pose thrown off, and stared up at the speaker. "He was looking back."

Yi-Min dismissed the remark, instead choosing to sit across Bae with another cup of tea in her grasp. A board was set between them, the tiles arranged neatly to be prepared for a new round. She placed the tea cup down onto the floor beside her and reached for a tile, tentatively fingering the piece she drew. Sensu watched her curiously, taking in her unusually slow movements when the woman returned the tile to its pile, her other hand fingering the rim of the steaming cup.

"I have a feeling," she began, "that something will happen soon."

The teenager held back a groan. "Do you have to say it like that? Your hunches are usually right. If not always."

Bae interjected, "That is why she's telling us, Sensu. It's considerate of Yi-Min to share her careful assumptions."

"You flatter me," she laughed dryly. "But this is hardly a well-thought out prediction compared to the previous times."

"Your predictions tend to be on the dark side. Can't you try to assume something happy? Maybe that'll make things brighter," Sensu muttered, crossing his arms. Yi-Min looked at him with a raised brow and promptly shook her head.

"That you'll meet your brother? That Bae will see his family again after all these years? The war is over, Sensu. Things are brightening on their own as we speak, thanks to the recent Fire Lord and the Avatar."

The boy slumped back against the rail, and it was evident from the look on his face that he wasn't quite convinced by her words. "The Avatar, I understand; but the Fire Lord? He's probably just a figurehead after all the Avatar's done."

"Do not let your bias against the Fire Nation cloud your judgment," Bae reprimanded sternly. "By us Fire Lord Zuko is considered a rising blessing. The rulers before him had continued to prolong the war, yet he chose to end it. Know him well before you speak ill of him." To the man's disapproval, he was thrown another protest.

"We know enough about him. He used to be a banished prince."

Yi-Min clicked her tongue then, interrupting the two as she raised the cooling tea to her lips and took a sip. "That's fairly common knowledge. Even then we all have different opinions of him regarding his actions.

"To some he is a savior in the form of Fire Nation. To others he is a despicable royal who turned against his father. And to you, he is merely Fire Nation." With this she faced Bae, her blank gaze never faltering. "I trust that you of all people would understand the meaning of perspective."

He nodded. "If that's what you believe, then I won't change it." This was addressed to Sensu, who muttered childishly before forcing out a defiant "yes." An unbearably silence between the three followed when the teenager stood to leave, excusing himself to momentarily leave the two as the adults shared glances with each other. There was no need to exchange words; they knew the boy well enough. Sensu was young - he'd been forced into war at a young age and that had only served in strengthening his hatred for the nation that had started it all. They would not interfere with his stubborn mind process unless necessary.

"Another game of Pai Sho, perhaps?" she piped up after another minute passed.

"That's a sound idea, Yi-Min."

* * *

Zuko was leaning on the rail, taking the opportunity to observe the sky as the ship seemed to move at a painfully slow pace. He was absentmindedly thumbing the cup in his hands, the fact that it had been asked of him to bring it forgotten. Too much was on his mind already and he had been attempting to clear his mind of the mess. He'd been organizing the newly learned information and other details, prioritizing accordingly as to what his next move would be.

The rebels would either attack or not. Until which it would be was for certain, he could not leave the former war prisoners and escorts to themselves. The number of soldiers on board were laughable when it would come to protection against a readily formed mob or experienced fighters. If the rebels were to strike they would be on the losing side.

Once the people were brought back to Ba Sing Se, Zuko decided, he would return to the palace and deal with the protesters.

Lost in his thoughts the Fire Lord failed to take proper note of the figure that strode up beside him, leaning forlornly against the ship's side.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own neither _Avatar_ nor any of its contents.

* * *

"It's so pointless! Don't you think so? Pai Sho, I mean."

Zuko merely grunted and nodded in response. This had been going on for a few good minutes. The young man who'd stood beside him against the ship's side had gotten the strangest idea in his head that he, of all people, would make for an excellent conversationalist. He had no idea what had given the released prisoner this notion, much less why the latter was going on about his shipmates and the game they were apparently indulging themselves in.

He glanced at the speaker, and nearly dropped the cup he'd been fingering. Realization dawned and he realized that the man speaking to him had been the one he'd tracked from the prison.

" . . . and then there was this one time when Yi-Min swapped my water with _tea_. No person should swap a man's drink with something they don't want."

And he no longer understood why he'd wanted to follow this man.

"Yeah. Sure." He received a scoff in response. "Look, I understand you're not in a good mood, but - "

The young man waved a hand. "Thanks for listening. I should get back to the others now."

Zuko felt a frown touch his face as he watched the retreating figure sauntering off. He hadn't the slightest idea as to what had just happened aside from the fact that he'd been used as a sheep - a sheep to pour out all negative emotion to. With a sigh he emptied the cup in his hands, easily downing the drink before heading back to the group he'd assigned himself to.

Only when he sat down beside them did he remember that the water he'd drank had been meant for one of the men. The original requester must have noticed his lack of focus, however, for he did not address Zuko on the matter.

* * *

"Welcome back," said Yi-Min. "We missed you."

He held back a playful snort at the statement. "Of course you did."

"Yi-Min and I just finished our round of Pai Sho. Would you like to play, Sensu?" The boy immediately shook his head at Bae's offer, and Yi-Min seemed to chuckle.

"Don't be silly. You only don't like to play because you're no good at it." She gestured to the game board and motioned for him to seat himself across from her on the other end of the table. "You simply need time to improve. We're in no rush, after all."

Still he remained rooted to where he stood, shaking his head again. "Thanks for the generous offer. But no thanks." Unfortunately his determination to steer clear away from the game faltered when she gave him a smile that somehow came off as highly threatening. " . . . Fine. One round."

Yi-Min's smile grew more at this and she nodded. "Get seated and we'll start." With a sigh he moved to where Bae was rising, removing himself to allow the boy room to sit across the woman.

The game started without another word. Pieces were moved across the surface of the gaming board, some movements more fluid and certain than others as Sensu took to hesitating with most of his moves. Regardless his opponent said nothing on his performance that was left to be desired, Bae doing the same as he silently observed the two play. Yi-Min might have been enjoying it, but to Sensu it felt like sheer torture; sitting between two adults with eyes that bore straight through his form was hardly comforting to him.

Once he made his next move, however, there was a stagnant pause. He gave the woman a questioning look as she fingered a tile in her hand, staring intently at the board before raising her head to face him directly. As she did so she placed the tile firmly on a strategic place on the board.

"So how did your conversation with that Earth Kingdom escort go?"

At this he choked on saliva he'd been swallowing. "You were watching me?"

"Your wild gestures were eye catching." He flushed slightly at her blunt remark, recalling himself to have swung his arms around in the most animated manner when he'd been talking to the escort.

Nonetheless he chose to deny the fact. "They were _not_."

"Actually," Bae interjected, "they were quite fascinating. I had no idea you moved your arms in such a fashion."

"They aren't. What's so interesting about how I move?" There was a short pause as he raised a hand and shook his head. "Don't answer that."

Yi-Min shrugged. "You still have to make your move."

He raised a brow in confusion before noticing the tile in his raised hand, forming an "o" shape with his mouth as he placed it down on the board. Bae shook his head while Yi-Min's shoulders raised and fell with an amused look in her face, presumably laughing silently at his slow reaction. Sensu merely crossed his arms and scowled at the increasing humiliation and damaging of his pride, pointedly ignoring their growing jabs - especially those from Yi-Min.

Some number of turns passed when her voice carried across the two men again. "You haven't answered the question, by the way."

The boy groaned. "Let's just drop it for now, all right? It's not even interesting."

"Not as interesting as your gesturing?" He glared warningly at Yi-Min, whom simply flashed another uncaring smile.

"I mean it. Drop it." Silence reigned again with those words and Sensu smiled both smugly and approvingly. However, it quickly dissipated when a thought occurred to him and he took a look around their surroundings, earning a curious glance from Yi-Min and an inquisitive one from Bae. He shrugged and turned back to the two, pointing behind him to nowhere in particular.

"Where did our escort go?"

"We're not sure. He went out back and hasn't come back since," explained Bae.

"Oh. He probably went to relieve himself or something, then." Yi-Min shook her head at this.

"The room for that is below deck; he's still outside on deck. Not only that, he was acting rather strangely after you left. I don't believe he's our average Earth Kingdom escort with an accent he wants us to think he is."

Bae looked thoughtful but chose not to say anything, instead turning his head to take in Sensu's reaction. The boy's lips were pursed tightly and drawn into a thin line, evidently in deep thought with his eyes narrowed. Tension hung in the air until he broke it by leaning back, sighing exasperatedly as he eyed the sky once more.

"Guess this is that 'something bound to happen' you were talking about, Yi-Min."

When she offered no reply his feeling of dread only grew.

* * *

"Hey, Lee, I've got a question for you." Zuko raised his head and looked the man - the one who'd asked for that cup of water he had irresponsibly drank - in the eye. The acknowledgement of his calling was enough, for the man continued:

"How did you get that scar? It's one ugly burn if you ask me; must have gotten it from a firebender, 'm I right? Mighty cruel of him - or her - to have done that."

That hit a nerve.

"Yeah. It was cruel," the Fire Lord finished lamely, remembering the words he'd said to his father when he'd chosen to depart during the invasion.

"What was it like? I've fought with firebenders before, but they never managed to scorch me once. Guess I got lucky."

A second man, the man that seemed to always catch sight of things before they got ugly, placed a hand on the inquisitor's shoulder. The firm grip was enough to get the message across as the questioner relaxed and dropped the topic, much to Zuko's relief. That did little to remove the awkward tension that had been brought on, however, and he stared at his hands while he twiddled his fingers.

Sensing the discomfort in the young man (he lost track of how many times they had made their escort uncomfortable with their curious nature), he offered him a temporary exit from their circle. "How about a cup of water?"

Zuko left almost instantaneously without so much as a nod to confirm the request.

Now with a second cup of water once more, Zuko took his time heading back to the group. He took a detour and loitered to get any lingering thoughts of discomfort out of the way, not wanting to burden the former prisoners with a broody attitude. However, his time of contemplation came to an abrupt stop when he nearly walked straight into what was seemingly a private conversation between two figures who were carefully situated behind the structuring of the ship, effectively blocking them from view and - mostly - earshot of the occupants.

He would have left immediately so as to not intrude, but he had been lucky to not have been caught thus far. As a result he stuck to leaning against the wall of the cabin he was standing next to, unwillingly eavesdropping on the people who had escaped the crowd for a private conversation in the first place. His thoughts came to a quick turn when he caught a few words from one of the two.

"They're way oblivious. Any moment's a fine one ta launch the plan." Out of instinct Zuko pressed his face closer against the wooden surface, trying to catch a better earful of the conversation.

"Then it'll be done soon. An hour at the latest."

A chuckle followed. "We'll be waitin' for ya and the others. Well, I'll be. The others won't kno'."

On second thought, the first voice sounded awfully familiar.

"Of course. Keep it that way."

"Will do, will do. Just stick ta the plan and ev'rything will work out fine." He knew that accent.

His thoughts were again interrupted as the shuffling of feet alarmed his senses, and he quickly turned the corner backward, facing away from where the conversationalists were standing as shadows loomed from the side. They were leaving and he'd moved out before they could notice him - that is, he hoped they did not notice him or heard his feet when he'd stupidly stepped around carelessly.

Luckily for him nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary as the shadows moved away from the corner of his eyes without so much as a second of hesitation. They probably hadn't heard his steps, or his temporarily heavy breaths before he'd resorted to breathing through his nose with his mouth closed. His tight grip on the cup loosened as his shoulders, tense, relaxed and he let out the breath he'd been somewhat holding. He ran a free hand through his hair as he sighed, piecing together the words and what it meant as he turned on his heels.

He took a detour again, going back and forth the deck before returning to the men to further sort out his newly discovered knowledge.

This time he did not drink the cup of water.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own neither _Avatar_ nor any of its contents.

Has it really been over a year? I admit, I'd lost the motivation to continue writing this story a long time ago. But with so many supportive reviews lately, on top of an _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ marathon I did this past week, I'm ready to write again. Thank you for all of your encouraging words and attention to this story, and here's chapter five. Pardon me if it's off from the previous chapters, my writing has both suffered and improved over the year, and I need to remember how exactly I was going about the plot.

I've gotten a few reviews concerning the bit about women in the army (particularly the Fire Nation's) since I generalized the oddity of it in chapter two. That's a mistake, and I appreciate the reviewers that pointed it out! I've gone and fixed that.

There was a suggestion on adding line breaks as well. I use dashes for scene changes, so there _is_ a break, but the site has seen fit to destroy them and make the fanfiction difficult to read. As such, I have gone back and added actual lines. My apologies for the inconvenience.

* * *

"I win," said Yi-Min as she placed a tile down. Bae nodded in congratulations.

Sensu raised his arms in exasperation. "You always win!"

What she said next was something he was used to hearing, and he stared incredulously. He knew her to be modest, yet she somehow managed to sound arrogant at the same time. "Oh, that's not true. I've lost before."

" . . . How many times?"

Yi-Min closed her eyes and let out a soft hum, contemplating the answer. "Three, I think." Sensu could have salaamed. But he thought better of it, and stifled a loud sigh that threatened to spill. Instead, he rubbed his temples, as he was prone to doing when frustrated.

"And I've lost over twenty times to you!"

"It would have been more, but I stopped playing after the third time," explained Yi-Min. "He was quite the Pai Sho player."

Bae nodded again, sagely, and cupped his chin with a hand. "He must have been, to keep you from playing." It was no news to the two men - Yi-Min had a passion for Pai Sho, or at least an addiction in that she couldn't seem to stop playing once she started. It was a strangely endearing trait, perhaps due to the normalcy of her hobby that kept their attention diverted from the recently ended war. Bae was aware of this. Whether Sensu was or not, he wasn't entirely sure of.

The woman smiled. "Yes. His skills were legendary."

"A legendary Pai Sho player," Sensu repeated. "Now I've heard everything." He soon closed his mouth when Yi-Min retorted by saying he was being a sore loser, which he adamantly denied. The one-sided banter continued for a while longer when their escort came strolling in, offering a casual and thick greeting as he sat himself between Sensu and Yi-Min.

"What'd I miss?" he asked.

"Just two rounds of Pai Sho," Bae replied, to which Sensu huffed and looked warningly at Yi-Min. No more verbal jabs. She simply looked back.

The toothy escort grinned, then jollily challenged Yi-Min to a round. She didn't even need to consider, and they were already clearing the board by the time she said, "yes." Sensu scowled disapprovingly when the escort scooted him away from his spot and claimed it in the name of Pai Sho. He found a place beside Bae, which happened to be closer to the rail, and which he took full advantage of by ignoring the game and watching the sea instead. It would be a long journey.

* * *

"Here's your water." Zuko handed the cup to one of the men, grateful still that he had been given the opportunity to be _away_, especially when it had earned him a valuable piece of information. The man that had sent him away took the cup with a thanks, though he did not drink the water. Rather, he thumbed the rim of the cup, almost as if contemplating another way to send the boy away again - away from the insensitive ones of their lot.

Sure enough, the "insensitive ones" launched into a myriad of questions - nosy questions - the moment Zuko took a seat on a worn cushion. But the words were quickly drowned out, for he was too engrossed in his own thoughts to pay attention to them. It wouldn't look off, he reasoned to himself, considering he'd nearly ignored them before. For now, he concentrated on the suspicious conversation he'd overheard.

In an hour, the voice without a face had said. Something was going to happen on the ship within an hour. And judging from the end of the conversation, it didn't sound to be something good. Combined with the news the Warden had presented him with, Zuko knew what he had to do.

He stood up and headed for the kitchen, drawing several looks of confusion and blinks from his guests in the process.

One such man in the group shrugged. "That one can't sit still."

"It's all your fault," another man accused. "You _had_ to ask if he kisses his mom with that face."

"It was a valid question! All the boy does is frown, then frown some more. You can't tell me he inherited that expression. That's just not possible!"

* * *

He found the cook that had caught him earlier with ease, and slid up close enough to ensure he wasn't heard by anyone else. "I need to speak with the Warden."

The cook bowed his head, a sign of respect for the Fire Lord, before gesturing in the direction of the stairway that led to below deck. The Warden was still where Zuko had last seen him. Understanding the message, he turned and headed for the stairway, leaving the cook to continue his duties. He pointedly ignored his guests (again) when one of them shouted an apology out of nowhere for reasons Zuko didn't know. However, he showed no indication of having heard, and he continued down the deck. Back on deck, the man that had apologized but was ignored glared at his guilty companion, whom shrugged.

The Warden was facing front this time, and so he noticed Zuko's entrance immediately. To the latter's relief, there was no one else present. "Fire Lord Zuko."

"Don't say it so loudly," the Fire Lord admonished. "I heard something you should know about."

The raised brow remained, this time for a different reason, before the older man cleared his throat. "Yes, Your Highness?"

Zuko's own brow twitched at the blatant disregard of his advise. He overlooked it, if only to get to his point quicker. "Something's going to happen in an hour. I want you to be prepared for whatever that might be."

There was a pregnant pause as the Warden mulled over the warning. Then, before Zuko could further support his case, the man folded his arms behind his back and straightened. "I assure you, we're already prepared for any threats. Should anything go awry, the soldiers will take care of the problem." The way he looked at his Fire Lord, still a teenager and thus comparatively shorter in height, would have had him slated for disrespect had it been anyone else.

Zuko's eye narrowed. "That won't be enough. Strengthen security, and order them to be more careful."

"It will be. I'm certain of it."

"I order you."

The internal war came to an end, and the Warden grudgingly accepted the demand. Through the power of authority, Zuko had won. It was clear relations between he and the Warden still required much amending, but he was not about to let a personal vendetta risk the safety of the people on board. The Warden would have to deal with the loss of his perfect record in the Boiling Rock sit in the corner for a while longer.

"Hmph. . . . Very well." With that, the Warden headed up the stairs, presumably to relay orders that would, hopefully, thwart the mysterious plan that would take place in an hour.

Less than an hour. The thinking, traveling back and forth, and the disagreement with the Warden had taken a good chunk out of that time. More than likely, there was less than half an hour; perhaps twenty, or even fifteen.

Having done his part for the time being, Zuko headed back up to deck, but not before letting a couple of minutes pass. Coming up to the deck immediately after the Warden would have raised suspicions, and he had to take the time to consider his next move. When he emerged from below deck, he returned to his constantly abandoned spot with the group of former war prisoners he'd been stuck with. And while he had expected another nosy question, what came out of one of the men's mouth nearly made him frown.

"So, do you really kiss your mother with that face?"

He didn't think about what to say. The words simply came, fueled by a distant anger from distant memories. "That's none of your concerns."

* * *

"Impressive."

The word caught his interest, and Sensu turned to face the receiver of Bae's praise. Aside from the escort's different pose (which meant little, given how often the man changed positions) and Yi-Min's noticeably straight posture, there was little to no difference in the picture since the start of their game. Sensu looked down at the board, and he sucked in a breath at the sight.

"Wow," he started. "You _beat _her?"

"So it appears," Bae answered for the escort, who flashed that contagious smile of his. "You missed it. It was a good round." Admitting defeat, Yi-Min smiled and agreed.

Sensu, too, grinned, probably the biggest grin he had done since boarding the ship. "If Yi-Min was beat, it must have been." He didn't, however, comment on missing her loss. He didn't care much for Pai Sho in the first place. Simply knowing she'd actually suffered defeat was good enough. "But I think that's enough Pai Sho for today," he continued. He was done with staring at the sea; but if the adults chose to continue playing, he could always find that escort that had listened to him earlier. Surely _he_ would listen again.

To his luck, they agreed. And to this surprise, the first to agree was the so-called addict.

"Yes, I think that's enough Pai Sho for today," Yi-Min reiterated.

Bae chimed in agreement, and helped the escort collect the pieces for cleaning up. With the tiles and board gathered, the escort took off again to return the game. Yi-Min watched him in what appeared to be vague longing, though she looked back to Bae and Sensu with a shake of her head. Scooting back into his old seat where the Pai Sho board had once stood by, Sensu saw no irregularity in her behavior - she must be missing the game, already. Bae, on the other hand, looked back at her.

"What is it, Yi-Min?"

"I'm not quite certain, myself," she admitted softly. "But it appears we will see very soon."

Silence fell upon the three. Something in his mind clicked. Leaning forward, Sensu said in a low voice, "It's the escort, isn't it?"

But Yi-Min simply repeated: "We will see."


End file.
